Two things in the world shine the brightest after the sun. First, the hobbies and interests of a job-seeking candidate that highlighted their personality through the curriculum vitae. Second, the bright future, which the candidate is heading towards by using the finest hobbies and interests in the CV.
So, if you are a student, a job aspirant yourself, or at least know someone who is, then this blog is for you. Here, you will be learning a total of three things.
We shall start with the importance of using hobbies in the employment record. Then, we will discuss what you should and should not add to that list. Lastly, you will be taught how to adjust them appropriately in there.
Convincing Hobbies & Interests to Decorate Your CV
Whether it is LinkedIn profile writing or CV writing, you should ensure you don’t get super involved with the rest of the elements and ignore the hobbies. It is not us; even the statistics prove that –
LiveCareer reported in 2024 that 92% of hiring managers care more about soft skills than hard skills.
This strengthens our claim that hobbies like teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving are essential parts of CV writing. Below are some more benefits of this smart move.
- The very first thing that it does is humanize your application. This means that the subtle soft skills of yours give a clear glimpse of how you are as a person. For instance, an athletic candidate is more likely to be energetic, and a bibliophile is more likely to be good at written communication.
- Next, when the employer sees the hobbies on the CV, he feels a connection with the candidate, and the interview grows more interesting. Furthermore, it is a great conversation starter, connecting the interviewer and interviewee on a personal level.
- Moving on, your hobbies can reveal a lot more about you than what your job experiences will ever say. Moreover, they can replace the transferable skills, which is quite important for an employer.
- Your interest a lot speaks volumes about your personality traits, such as your passion, your dedication, and your enthusiasm. It tells the hiring manager how much you will be willing to volunteer in the office and how hard-working you will prove to be.
Last but not least, including these traits in CV writing not only makes it unique, interesting, and potentially attention-grabbing but also covers up for your limited experience. Additionally, including hobbies that align with the company’s culture is also a perfect plan for packing your dream role.
Now, Here Is When to Use Them and When To Avoid
| The Right Time | The Wrong Time |
| If your career has just begun. | When you have a strong work history. |
| If you want to boast your transferable skills. | When you need to focus in relevant skills. |
| If you want to prove your fitness in the company cultural. | When you are applying for a job that doesn’t require a lot of soft skills. |
| If you have limited work experience. | When your CV is already very lengthy. |
50 Classic Hobbies and Interests to Add to the CV
The Basic Ones Can Be:
1. Problem-solving skills
2. Creative skills
3. Teamwork skills
4. Sports
5. Reading
6. Blogging skills
7. Community involvement
8. Learning languages
9. Communication skills
10. Project management skills
11. Photography
12. Travel
13. Music-making skills
14. Fitness
15. Artistic skills
16. Dance
The Sport-Related Ones Can Be:
17. Mountain climbing
18. Swimming
19. Marathon running
20. Cycling
21. Basketball
22. Football
The Social Ones Can Be:
23. Board games
24. Networking
25. Attending events
26. Camping
27. Visiting shelter homes
28. Fostering pets
29. Exploring cultures
30. Organizing a book club
31. Volunteering
32. Public speaking
The Random Ones Can Be:
33. Gardening
34. Standup comedy
35. Vlogging
36. Content creation on social media
37. Theatre
38. Calligraphy
39. Journaling
40. Baking
41. Video games
42. Playing instruments
43. Woodworking
44. Running
45. Hosting events
46. Storytelling
47. Mentoring
48. Fundraising
49. Meditation
50. Learning magic tricks
Here’s What Passions Should Not Be a Part of Your CV
There is so much to add to the CV, as you have seen above, but there are still things that do not look good on it and must be avoided at all costs.
Let’s begin with the controversial and polarising activities. For example, political affiliation and religious background. Then there are the inappropriate and dangerous activities, which involve violence and illegal stuff.
Moreover, your employee record also should not have any irrelevant list of things like watching movies and listening to music.
How to Include These Interests in the CV Professionally
Before you aimlessly mention your passion anywhere in the document, read how you can strategically do it for a lasting impact. First of all, choose only the interests that are relevant to the job or the industry you are targeting in some way or the other.
Then, make sure that you are specifically mentioning it, not just doing it forcefully to complete a task. For example, write I like reading science-fiction instead of I like reading. After that, if you have anything that you have ever participated in, like clubs, volunteering, competitions, or internships, make sure to put them on the list first. Finally, do not forget that it is just an additional section and should not be more than 50 words, placed at the end of the CV.
The Frequently Asked Questions of a Job Aspirant
Q. Should I list all my interests in the document?
Doing that is highly unacceptable because the hobby and interest section has to be concise and crisp. You should not make it difficult to comprehend and chunky-looking.
Q. What personal skills can I add in there?
There are several of them that you can include. For instance, you can mention communication and teamwork skills. We suggest these because they help you perform tasks and build relationships with others.
Q. Is eating and sleeping a hobby?
No, they are not, and mentioning them in the resume seems nothing but like a silly prank. A hobby is something you enjoy to feel peace, unwind, and escape from your normal routine.
The Summary of Including Hobbies on Your Resume
It is rather effective to list down the hobbies and interests in the CV than being sceptical and not mentioning them, because it is they earn you the role at times.
However, there are still people out there who think that hobbies and interests should be omitted from the employment records. They support the traditional format more. Little do they know, it is the engaging and carefully picked hobby names that compel the hiring manager to offer you a role.
So, without a care in the world, just take the chances and mention attention-gabbing relevant interests at the end of your CV the next time you update it.